Automatically adjustable wrench



May 13, 1952 B. wlEsEN A2,596,882

AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE WRENCH v Filed sept. 9, 195o 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 g(5/ /m 4 J/wz Z May 13, 1952 B. wir-:SEN 2,596,882

AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Y 2 vSA1-1EE'rs-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 9,1950 Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES ArtNr 4 Claims.

This invention relates to tool or spanner structures and moreparticularly to novel wrench constructions.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide means affording aninexpensive, universal and quick-acting Wrench structure employable inconnection with various dimensions or sizes of screw bolt heads, nuts,nut locks, and so forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide meansfacilitating in a very practical and simple manner automatic adjustmentof the wrench structure to the size of the bolt head or the like towhich said wrench structure is to be applied.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means ensuring greatefciency of the wrench structure and permitting rapid individual fittingthereof in accordance with a predetermined range of dimensions of boltheads and so forth from, say, 116 of an inch to one inch.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide meansmaterially reducing the cost of manufacture and storing of wrenchstructures, and enhancing their saleable and other commercialpossibilities.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of meanscontributing to a sturdy and compact wrench structure which is capableof achieving an efficient hold on and of accommodating various shapes(square or hexagonal) of screw or like heads.

It is still a further `object of this invention to provide meansoffering the possibility of applying the wrench to a screw or bolt headwith or without any preadjustment of the distance between the jaws ofthe wrench in accordance with the particular shape or dimension of saidhead.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will behereinafter more fully described and the combination and arrangement ofparts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in theclaims which form part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a wrench device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Fig. l with a bolt headin applied position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4a is a fragmentary top plan view of one modified form of theinvention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a wrench device Z in modified form and madeaccording to the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a further modified device according to theinvention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 8-3 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is asectional view taken along lines 3--9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a still further modified form of theinvention; and

Fig. 1l is a transverse sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. 10.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is disclosed inFigs. 1 to 4, inclusive, a wrench device I0 made in accordance with theinvention and provided with an elongated body portion I2 having a topsurface II and a bottom surface I3. The body portion I2 terminates in ahandle I4. At the forward end of wrench I3 there project two xed jaws I3and I8 which are spaced from each other and have opposed linear surfacesI1 and I9, respectively, facing each other. Jaw I6 preferably projectsfurther Voutwardly than jaw I8 for a purpose later to be described.Between the opposed surfaces I1 and I9 and rear surface 20 there isdened an opening or slot 2|. Body portion I2 further includes an opening22 which is in communication with slot 2 I.

On the top and bottom surfaces II, i3 of body I2 there are arranged twocover plates 23 and 26.. which are xed to the body l2 by means of rivets25. Cover plate 23 includes the opening 22 which through opening 22a isin direct communication with slot 2i. Within opening 22 there aremovably arranged a plurality of slat or shim-like elements 33, 3|, 32,33, etc., each of which being provided with a nose or projection 33u, 3la, etc., whereby these elements may be slid from the rear edge or endwall 26 of opening 22 for abutment against the front edge or wall 2l ofthe aforesaid opening 22. As can be seen in Fig. l, ail the elements 3|,32, 33, etc. have been moved into their foremost positions whereby thefinger pieces or projections 33a, 3Ia, 32a, etc. abut against the frontwall 27. The aforesaid shim-like element-s 3|, 32, 33, etc. aresubstantially alignedly arranged so as to form a continuous line oftransition to extend from the outer boundary edge 23 of jaw I8, as canbe seen from Fig. l. Thus, the shim-like elements in their most forwardposition constitute an inclined edge 23a with respect to linear surfacesI1 and I9.

If it is now desired to t the wrench device D on a bolt head 40, forinstance, as seen in Fig. 2, it will be immediately visualized that allshim elements extending beyond shim element 34 will be moved or pushedto retracted position in which they abut against rear wall 26 of opening22.

Shim elements 30 to 34, inclusive, form a composite or unitary wallwhereby the innermost surface |911l thereof faces the surface of jaw I5,thereby defining a jaw opening 2|a. which is reduced in size as comparedwith opening or slot 2| (when all the shim elements are retracted andabut against rear wall 26) It will be noted from Fig. 1 that jaw i6 hasan inclined edge Hic which along with the inclined edge 29a of theshim-like elements forms pointed gripping jaws which permit easy accessto conned spaces.

Preferably, the wrench according to the invention, can be utilized withbolt heads varying from Tg of an inch to one inch in diameter. However,it is to be understood that it iswithin the scope of this invention tovary the range of diameters of bolt heads that may be accommodated inthis wrench device. Shim elements 35, 3|, etc. may be made from hardenedsteel and the jaws l5, i8 may also be hardened. It is well understoodthat any suitable material may be selected for the parts of which thedevice IG consists.

Figs. and 6 show another form of the wrench device according to theinvention. One end of body portion 4| terminates in a handle 42 and theother end in a box-like portion 43 having a large opening 44, as seen inFig. 5.

Bolt head 65 fits in opening 44 of the wrench device, thereby causingall shim elements which extend beyond shim element 48 to be pivotedabout a pivot pin 49 in a direction indicated by arrow A in Fig. 6 andshown in dot-dash lines. The pivotal movement about pin 4S which isriveted at 45a, 49h takes place automatically by the abutment action ofthe bolt head 40 against the shim elements when said head moves intoopening 44. The wall 55 of body portion 4| serves as a stop to preventfurther clockwise movement of the shim-like elements 5|, 52, 53, etc.when the bevelled end surfaces of these elements come in contact withwall 55. The shimlike elements move, in this instance, by gravity, backto normal position when the bolt head is removed from the wrench.

As seen in Fig. 5, a plurality of shim-like elements 45, 45, 47,48, 5|,52, 53, etc. are journalled on pivot pin 45 which extends acrossbox-shaped portion 43 and terminates in riveted ends 49a, 4gb. Theforward wall 54 of box-shaped portion 43 is downwardly and inwardlyinclined and the forward end of the shim-like elements, say, (asexemplified in Fig. 6) the forward end 5 a of shim element 5| isaccordingly shaped to contact the inclined forward wall 54. Portion 43has further the inner lead edge 43a against which the bolt head 5i)abuts which, when inserted in the opening 44 of wrench portion 43 willautomatically lift shim elements 5 52, 53, etc. whereby the bolt head 5Uextends between the lead edge 43a and the inner face 48a, of shimelements 45, 43 and 48 which, in this instance, become effective as aunitary element.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, shim element 5| is swung according to arrowA to its inoperative or upper position where the shims 5|, 52, 53, etc.overlie head 60 without becoming' obstructive or in any wayparticipating in the operation of the wrench device.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a wrench device it in a further modied form. Thedevice 'lil has a downwardly directed head piece 'H while the handle ofwrench device 10 is omitted on the drawing for claritys sake. Head piece1|' terminates in an open ended portion 12 into which the slidable shimelements 13, 14, 15, 16 are slid, as can be seen from Figs. '7 and 8,whereas the shim-like elements 75, i9, etc. are shown in their retractedposition in which they may abut against or are positioned adjacent therear wall 55 of the hollow wrench head '5|, It will be further seen fromFig. 8 that the cover plate 3| of the head piece 'H is provided with aslot 82 into which extend iinger pieces or projections t3 of theslidable shim elements. Fig. 'l shows shim element ''l in its retractedposition, whereas shim element T5 is shown in abutting relation with theforward edge 84 dening opening' S5 of the head piece 1|.

Ii, as seen in Figs. 7 andB, head 5e of a screw bolt is inserted withinopening S5 of the head piece 1|, head 90 of the screw bolt will abutagainst the lead edge 55 and will automatically displace shims l?, 78,19 etc. whereas the opposite face of screw bolt head 55 abut-s againstthe inner surface 15a. of shim element 'i5 which, together with shimelements "i3, '54, 'l5 forms a unitary element deiining the extent ordimension oi the screw bolt head 5B when inserted in opening 85.

It will be further visualized that the sliding shim elements may bereadily retracted by means of the finger operated projections 53, asseen in Fig. '7, whereby, for instance, shim elements 1l, i8, l5, etc.are moved in the direction ci arrow B (Fig. S).

In Fig. fia, 55 represents 'the handle carrying a box-like portion 56providing an opening into which the head of a bolt or a nut can beextended. The opening i?? has a rearwardiy extending part Sla to receivethe operating ends or" a plurality of U-shaped gauge elements iet, il,|52 and |53 nested together and a instable within the opening (il andrelative thereto and relative to each other. Each of the Ll-shaped gaugeelements have long operating legs etc, 55o., etc. which can be adjustedinto the rearwardly extending part Sic of the opening 5,7 and whichrespectively have upwardly extending finger projections 93h, 59h etc.that extend out of the top of the opening to be accessiblek forengagement with the linger to eiect the adjustment of the respectiveelements. A top cover plate 54 is secured to the handle by screws 95 inthe respective corners thereof. This lplate has an opening |54@ throughwhich the iinger projections of the gauge elements may extend. r.hegauge elements are limited in their movement by the ends of the openingof the plate |54. The elements are slid in and out depending upon thesize of the square nut or head to be gripped. The square openingprovided between. two of the elements may also receive a hexagonal nutand the wrench can thus effectively beused on either square or hexagonalnuts or head portions.

In Figs. l0 and ll, there is shown a `still further form of theinvention where the features thereof are incorporated in a socket, Ytypeof wrench. In this form, a channel member l is secured to a handle |08by long rivets l, only one being shown. Upon the assembly of the wrench,a plurality of nested gauge elements HB are assembled in the member 101and a cover lplate IH is secured by the same rivets 109 to the handle|08 and by small screws H2 to the sides of the channel flanges. Thegauge elements are in the form of channel elements and have fingerprojections extending from one flange thereof, as indicated at H3,through a slot H4 in the flange of the member ll.V Each of the elementsH has an elongated slot Illia into which extends a stop pin H projectedinwardly from the cover plate HI. The stop pin IE5 prevents the outwarddisplacement of the elements from the lower end of the member |01. Uponplacing the wrench over a bolt head IIS, the inner elements H0 will belifted depending upon the size of the head-as to the number of suchelements that will be lifted. This lifting of the elements isaccordingly effected automatically and Without the need of any manualadjustment of the elements. The inner faces which are angled relative toeach other provide the faces with which to engage the side faces of thehead of the bolt or nut.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a socket wrenchconstruction which is operable upon a plurality of different size .boltheads or nuts wherein the single Wrench is easily adjusted to thesedifferent sizes and according to certain of the forms this adjustment iseffected automatically and without need for the manual manipulation ofthe elements,

The form of the invention, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4a, 7 and 8, permitthe manual adjustment of the gauge-or shim-like elements, while in Figs.5 and 10, the adjustment of the elements is effected automatically asthe Wrench construction is applied to the bolt head or nut.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wrench construction comprising a body including a depending head,said head being provided with a downwardly directed bolt-receivingopening and having at least one wall defining a stationary bolt-engagingjaw, said body being provided with a guideway upwardly-inclined at anangle with respect to said bolt-receiving opening and` communicatingwith the latter, a stack of shim-like elements juxtaposed within saidguideway and movably supported therein, each of said shim-like elementsincluding ajaw-forming portion and being urged downwardly in saidguideway under the force of gravity to a position wherein saidjaw-forming portions are disposed within said bolt-receiving opening inspaced opposed relation with respect to said stationary jaw, one or moreof said shim-like elements being upwardly movable relative to theremaining shimlike elements and relative to said stationary jaw inresponse to the insertion of a selected bolt Within said bolt-receivingaperture whereby the size of the latter is adjustable in accordance withthe size of said selected bolt.

2. A wrench according to claim l wherein another wall of saidbolt-receiving opening forms an abutment for limiting the downwardmovement of said shim-like elements under the force of gravity.

3. A wrench according to claim l, including means carried by each ofsaid shim-like elements actuable exteriorly of said body for separatelyeffecting the upward movement of said shim-like elements.

4. A wrench according to claim 1, including means carried by each ofsaid shim-like elements actuable exteriorly of said body for separatelyelecting the upward movement of said shim-like elements.

BERNARD WTESEN.

REFERENCE S CTEH) The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 562,709 Courtright et al. June23, 1896 1,080,064 Huber Dec. 2, 1913 1,204,433 Hanna Nov. 14, 19161,343,882 `Woodward June 15, 1920 1,346,061 Rosenberg July 6, 19201,550,564 Nagano Aug. 18, 1925 1,618,715 Lammers et al. Feb. 22, 1927FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 181,103 Canada Dec. 18, 1917 167,955Great Britain Aug. 25, 1921

